NASCAR: 65-year-old veteran set for first Daytona 500 in 10 years

MBM Motorsports recently confirmed their plans to attempt to qualify for the 67th annual Daytona 500 to open up the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season at Daytona International Speedway next month. The team have not competed in the "Great American Race" since 2020, but they did attempt to qualify for it in both 2021 and 2022.

Now the team have confirmed that Mike Wallace, who has not competed in a Cup Series race since 2015, is set to attempt to qualify the No. 66 Ford in this 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval.

Because the No. 66 Ford is a non-chartered (open) entry, Wallace must qualify for the race either on speed in the single-car qualifying session or on his result in one of the two Bluegreen Vacations Duel races. With the 36 chartered cars locked into the 40-car field, there are four open spots.

Mike Wallace aiming for first Daytona 500 in a decade

Mike Wallace, the younger brother of Rusty Wallace and the older brother of Kenny Wallace, has made 11 Daytona 500 starts and has a top finish of fourth place finish with Phoenix Raceway in 2007. He made his first Daytona 500 qualifying attempt with Moroso Racing in 1992, and he made his first start with Donlavey Racing in 1995.

He has not competed in a Daytona 500 since 2015 when he competed for Premium Motorsports, and he has not competed in a Cup Series race since. He failed to qualify for two more races later that season and withdrew from a third.

The 65-year-old Fenton, Missouri native has competed in three NASCAR national series races since 2015, however. He drove for JD Motorsports in three Xfinity Series races back in 2020.

Should Wallace qualify for this year's Daytona 500, he would become the first driver to compete in five different generations of Cup Series car, as he made his debut during the Generation 3 era back in 1991.

The 67th annual Daytona 500 is set to be shown live on Fox from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 16. The single-car qualifying session is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 12, and the Bluegreen Vacations Duel races are scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 13.